


A Quiet Moment

by waltzforthemoon



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Spring in Hieron Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-19 16:01:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20212447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waltzforthemoon/pseuds/waltzforthemoon
Summary: *Major Spring in Hieron 38 spoilers*"I don't think Ephrim looks at it when it happens.""Where are you looking?""I think I'm looking back at Fero."





	A Quiet Moment

The moment after he brought an end to Samot’s life, it felt impossible for Fero to hold back any of his tears, unable to control how loud he was sobbing. As if that last expenditure of his powers unleashed every bit of anguish he had kept inside and pushed away to the far corners in the back of his mind all these years—and all that pain came out at once.

As he sat on the ground, Fero wiped at his eyes with the back of his hands and knuckles until his vision wasn't blurry from tears. When he finally was able to see clearly, he looked up and saw Ephrim standing not too far away from him.

Ephrim was looking in his direction, and he had such a focused look of pain on his face. Fero was confused. He wondered what Ephrim could be reacting to. After all, Samot was behind him.

“You’re looking the wrong way,” Fero croaked out to Ephrim, his voice thick with the lingering sob in his throat.

“No, I’m not,” Ephrim shortly replied.

Fero quickly glanced behind himself, wondering if some other disaster had occurred at the moment. But nothing was there—well, nothing new in addition to the stars’ destruction and the overgrowth of Spring.

A crease formed between Fero’s brows and he cautiously glanced from side to side. “What are you looking at, then?”

Ephrim’s eyes slightly widened at the question, and then his sad expression returned as he stared Fero in the eye. “I was looking at you.”

“Me? Why? Did you—did you see what happened? What I did?”

Ephrim kept a stare on Fero as he shook his head. “No.”

Fero frowned. “Well, look!”

Ephrim shook his head again. “I don’t need to. I’m more concerned about you.”

“What?” Fero blinked rapidly, not understanding. “Why?”

Ephrim stepped forward, maintaining his gaze. “Fero…”

“_What?_” Fero asked, in a tone that he knew was rude, but… he couldn’t understand why Ephrim was being so weird.

“I’m looking at you because—” Ephrim didn’t finish his sentence and bit his lip.

Fero swallowed and felt the heat of embarrassment form in his cheeks. “Well, I guess you’ve never seen me cry. Is that why you’re staring at me? I’m sorry. I—“

“_Fero._” Before Fero could react, Ephrim sank to his knees in front of him and lunged to wrap Fero into an embrace, arms squeezed tight around him.

Fero’s heart felt like it was going to burst and he couldn’t make sense of why his chest felt so full and yet—he couldn’t handle it, like he might collapse if Ephrim wasn’t holding him so tight. But at the same time, he didn’t want Ephrim to let him go because it felt good to be held by someone. And it felt like something he needed, even though he would have never asked for it.

Hot tears formed and spilled from Fero’s eyes again, and this time he buried his face into Ephrim’s shoulder and clung to his cloak with clenched fists. It was then that he felt a shudder from Ephrim, who hadn’t let Fero go and moved a hand to cradle the back of his head with both urgency and tenderness. When Fero listened closely, he heard a hiccuping noise from Ephrim’s throat, and he realized Ephrim was crying, too.

They said nothing more as they embraced and cried together--for how long? Fero couldn't say. 

When he pulled away, Fero looked at Ephrim. And Ephrim looked back at him. And they said nothing more after.

But in that quiet moment, nothing else needed to be said. Ephrim’s look and touch had meant so much more to Fero than any words could have.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still very emo about Ephrim choosing to look at Fero in this moment and also emo about Fero in general :'( 
> 
> This episode was amazing and hurt my heart but it would have been even better if Ephrim had hugged his little buddy again at this particular moment, because I feel like it definitely would have happened and Fero really needed a hug this episode ;___; 
> 
> (also--sidenote--is Ephrim the only person to have ever hugged Fero 'onscreen' in Hieron... because hmm... HMMM!)


End file.
